By Sue Moore
November 6 was an exceptional day for senior Gavin Leach, Vicksburg’s second leading scorer in lacrosse. He passed his tests to obtain his private pilot’s license and signed a letter of intent to play lacrosse for Lynn University in Boca Rotan, Florida – all on the same day.
He has been taking flying lessons for several years with the goal of becoming a commercial pilot. He took a two-hour oral exam and then took his flight test before signing to play lacrosse at Lynn – which incidentally happens to have a top-notch aviation school. He had previously passed his written exam.
“Gavin has always set his goals pretty high, showing dedication to lacrosse and flying at an early age,” said Erick Frank, his varsity coach at Vicksburg. “He always had the drive and commitment to these two ideals and now that has paid off with the scholarship to a Division II school in Florida where he can do both. I’ve been coaching him since he was 12 years old on his travel team, the Bandits, and then in high school. This year’s team was exceptional, losing in the regional finals to East Grand Rapids, the team that went on to win the state championship.”
Leach played varsity football for Vicksburg as a wide receiver his senior year. Besides being a good student academically, he also volunteered for a mission trip to El Salvador in November where he helped his mother, Avril, a nurse, with her duties.
Lynn University is a school of about 2,000 students. Its aviation school stands as one of the most outstanding in the country, attracting students from all 50 states and internationally.